The Al Gore news has a lot of people talking about the ethics of massage therapy. Have you ever gotten a massage that made you feel uncomfortable? Let’s talk …
I’m a huge believer in the relaxing and de-stressing power of massage. And while I’ve never had a “shady” experience on a massage table, I do know women who have–their stories have been sometimes funny and often frightening.
In light of the news about Al Gore, I wanted to bring up the topic here. First, the news on Gore (or shall we call him, “sex poodle”?) is only hearsay at present (in case you missed it, here’s the backstory), but it did make me think about how hard it must be, at times, to be a massage therapist (a profession that is made up of 85 percent women, Jezebel points out). Imagine just trying to do your job and having your client groaning and moaning in ways that are totally inappropriate.
On the flipside, there are massage therapists that push the limits too. I’ve had friends describe how male massage therapists inched a little too far up their legs or brushed up against them in very weird way–gross!
According to a story on the subject in The Daily Beast: “Such is the reality in an industry that, even in 2010, is regarded by many-including the government-as a type of prostitution. Despite years of lobbying efforts, (not to mention research that show the physical and emotional benefits of deep tissue sessions,) massage businesses are still defined as ‘adult entertainment’ in some parts of the country, a distinction that equates therapists with prostitutes.”
Have you ever gotten a massage you felt was inappropriate? What did you do?
cahikol 